Some of the greatest artists have started out by writing songs for other people, though the trick is to save the best songs for yourself. After penning big pop singles for the likes of The Chainsmokers and Ellie Goulding, the stage was set for Swedish songwriter SHY Martin to strike out on her own, and ‘Lose You Too’ comes as a thank you to all those who’ve supported her on the journey thus far. This stripped back ballad shows an exciting new side to her music, swapping commercial pop for plaintive folk. Her delicate vocals speak of coming to accept that sometimes we drift apart from the people who mean the most to us, like sand slipping through your fingers despite your best efforts to hold on. This spellbinding ballad is surely one of the most beautiful tracks of 2018, and I’m glad SHY Martin shared it under her own name, as I’m not sure anyone else could have captured quite the same magical feeling found here.
Top Tracks: Gen Z – Generation Z
Channelling hints of Fleetwood Mac, Ryan Adams and The War On Drugs, this new track from LA trio Gen Z is essential listening for thoughtful late night drives. Though it’s the rich and inviting guitar tone that keeps ‘Generation Z’ grounded, it’s the airy, bittersweet atmosphere and introspective lyricism that makes the song so special. Reflecting on the pitfalls of modern life and the haunting hollowness of youth, this track is an anthem for the lost and confused in search of meaning. This song teaches you to revel in the little things, to bask in the minor triumphs in this messed up world to keep from losing your way. ‘Generation Z’ is the sound of a lonely winding road; you’re not sure what’s awaiting you around the bend, instead you just have to take solace in the small victory of simply moving forward.
Top Tracks: Mars Motel – City Streets
When you grow up listening religiously to the likes of Led Zeppelin and Rush, it’d be a major understatement to say that you soon learn to appreciate a good rhythm section. With this latest track from Brooklyn based rockers Mars Motel, the rhythm section in particular offers some of the most memorable instrumentation I’ve heard all year. Recorded live for their new EP The Eclipse Sessions, ‘City Streets’ lures you in with its emphatic shuddering drums and a bass line that winds its way towards you like a python through the undergrowth. Upon this foundation of post punk menace, the guitar and vocals build up a mix of Britpop inspired melodies and psychedelic reverb to provide real light and shade. All about young love and subsequent heartbreak, the two sides to the song do a great job of portraying both the innocence and optimism of youth alongside the angst and anguish of a break-up.
Top Tracks: Big Kettle Drum – Bring That Love To Me
How long does it take you to love a song? Some take years before they finally click, some manage to catch you on the first listen. ‘Bring That Love To Me’ took less than five seconds. A hearty little drum intro, a rich old-school organ sound, and a splash of warm welcoming brass was all it took to assure me that I was in for a good time. This latest track from Florida’s Big Kettle Drum, taken from their new EP I’d Thought You’d Be Bigger, offers lashings of classic Motown vibes adorned with a gritty Southern charm. This soulful little number is pretty close to faultless, and carries that all too rare universal appeal. This song is like a magic spell that brings warmth and contentment to whoever hears it.
Album Review: Daughtry – Cage To Rattle
Daughtry – Cage To RattleSpotlight!: Overjoyed
A short while ago I made myself a playlist of my favourite submissions I’ve received while running this blog. It was only after I finished and took a step back to admire it that I noticed something; there were more songs from Swedish acts than anywhere else in the world. Listening to the debut EP from Gothenburg based indie trio Overjoyed just further fuels the thought that there must be something in the water over there. A Look of Fear, a Lack of Feeling seems to just appear out of nowhere to steal the show as one of the finest indie releases of 2018. The bright riffs and exceptional bass on ‘Downer’ duck and weave around each other like they’re locked in some high stakes race, while the bittersweet ‘Taxi Driver’ feels like an energetic ode to The Cure. The piano balladry of ‘Love Me Louder’ offers a more sombre and stripped back feel, before launching straight into the upbeat and ephemeral ‘Lights’. ‘Sweetheart’ takes a darker approach with it’s menacing opening riff and ‘Skin’ builds from a sparse opening to a thunderous climax complete with raw, impassioned vocals and emphatic drums. Overjoyed’s brand of “sadpop” offers infectious melodies, deeper meanings, and above all the need to just have more of it in your life.
Fans of The Cure, Vampire Weekend, The Smiths and The Vaccines should check out their debut EP A Look of Fear, a Lack of Feeling out 3rd August
Top Tracks: Amanda Shires – Parking Lot Pirouette
While some songs are firmly rooted in the past, some embrace a sound that seems like it’s visiting from a not too distant future. This new single from Texan singer/songwriter Amanda Shires is in the rare class of songs that manages to do both. Taken from her new album To The Sunset out 3rd August, ‘Parking Lot Pirouette’ feels like a song made to span generations. That unmistakable lush Wurlitzer sound and the soft country twang of Amanda’s vocals imbue plenty of classic Americana vibes into the track. Her husband Jason Isbell’s guitar work however takes the song to a whole other world. Blending subtle psychedelica with raw droning tones, and with some synth flourishes for good measure, it gives the song an unearthly flair akin to Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. Projecting the spirit of the wild west to distant stars and far-off worlds, Pirouette is a song that is thoroughly deserving of a few spins.
Spotlight!: Claire Coupland
We’re blessed to be living in the golden age of EPs. When they’re done right they have just as much sway over the listener as a full album, albeit condensed down into a potent little package. Quality always beats quantity, and there’s no shortage of quality to be found in the latest release from Toronto based artist Claire Coupland. Her new EP On The Other Side has, in just five tracks, surpassed most albums I’ve heard this year. Lead single ‘Bound For Love’ reminds me of ‘Unlike Any Other’ from Belwood favourite Foy Vance in its softer moments, but there’s a real momentum in the rhythm that pushes the song forwards and brings you along for the ride. ‘Love In Your Eyes’ offers some country vibes with its atmospheric steel guitar, Claire’s vocals steal the spotlight thanks to the sparse yet graceful arrangement of ‘Get Outta This Town’, while ‘This One’s For The Road’ boasts lush harmonies and a classic Americana feel. My personal highlight however would be the expressive bass tones and warm brass section of ‘Fleet Street’, reminding me in places musically of Dire Straits, and sounding like the perfect addition to any rainy day playlist. On The Other Side strikes me as one of the most memorable and consistent EPs of the year; a real delight, and one which I hope you’ll find a place in your heart for as I have.
Fans of Laura Marling, Joni Mitchell, Evening Darling and First Aid Kit should check out On The Other Side, out 27th July.
Album Review: Tom Grennan – Lighting Matches
Tom Grennan – Lighting MatchesTop Tracks: The Hip Abduction – Can You Feel It
This latest track from Florida based collective The Hip Abduction is like the musical equivalent of someone who makes friends wherever they go. You know the kind of person, someone that’s universally popular; no one has a bad word to say about them, and they’re loved by people from all walks of life. ‘Can You Feel It’ would be equally at home on heavy rotation on a top 40 station, blaring out of a club in Ibiza in the height of summer, or being sang back at the band from onlookers at some indie festival. I’d struggle to think of another song from recent years that would be such a welcome addition to so many vastly different crowds. All about the sensation of facing a defining decision, a choice that will become a turning point in your life, ‘Can You Feel It’ delivers its message with a mix of infectious synthpop and emphatic drums. Even if this never becomes a worldwide chart-topping hit, it feels like it should be.
